Maritime Melody
by pluie du nord
Summary: A wild sea storm brings two beings together- Yao, a mysterious merman, and Kiku, a young fisher. What will happen during their time alone on an island? Multiple chapters. Rated M for sexual situations and language.
1. The Storm

Greetings, and welcome to my new project! Don't worry, I'm still working on _Peonies and Chrysanthemums_, and I don't intend on stopping soon. I just decided to start this because the idea was too good to pass up. _Maritime Melody_ will be a multi-chapter AU fic revolving around a young fisherman, Kiku, and a mysterious merman, Yao. At this point (being the first chapter), the rating will start out as T, just to be safe, but it may move up! Be warned!

Otherwise, please enjoy my new story, _Maritime Melody_! :)

* * *

Honda Kiku, proud member of Nippon Fishing Fleet, Number 12. At twenty-two years old, this fresh faced Japanese man couldn't remember a time when he wasn't near water. His father was a fisherman, his grandfather was a fisherman, all of his uncles and great uncles were fishermen, and every previous generation going back to the sixteenth century had their roots on a boat. Now, it was his turn. When he had children, each son of his would be expected to fish as well. It wasn't like Kiku minded, however; he absolutely loved the sea. The sound of waves crashing gently against the boat, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and, most of all... the smell of fresh fish.

Squid, tuna, crab, and salmon (Kiku's personal favorite), among others, filled the boat daily. Kiku was always on deck, pulling lines in with his well-trained arms (although he was smaller than most of the other crew members, standing at a mere five feet and three inches), revealing their catch of the day. It was dangerous work, especially when a storm decided to come through, but every crew member on the Nippon Fishing Fleet, Number 12, seemed to make the best of their jobs. They laughed, drank sake, and ate fish- usually the fish that was deemed unworthy to be sent back to Japan and places otherwise, but the crew couldn't care less. Good times were had when one was not working on board.

Well, there was one exception...

A rather large one, at that.

One particular storm ripped through the Sea of Japan, just a few miles off the coast of China, where the ship was currently stationed, earning their loot. It came as a surprise to most, as the storm radar was having repairs done, so there was very little time to get to shore for safety. Kiku had never seen waves that big; at least a hundred feet tall, perhaps more. Men were running for their lives, clutching their hats to their hearts, making way for the lower deck.

"Honda!" the captain, Fujito, shouted over the roars of thunder and smacking of waves. "Get below, now!"

Kiku was too stunned. His hands clutched the railing on the side of the boat, and his eyes remained fixated on the onslaught of water, heading straight toward him. Winds ripped his hat off and blew his hair in every direction; it was only two in the evening, but the sky was already pitch black. In his twenty-two years of living, Kiku had seen plenty, but this storm, by far, was the most horrific to ever cross his eyes.

"Did you hear me, Honda?" the captain yelled again. "Get below or you'll die!"

However, Kiku's body had another idea. His mind screamed _move, move, get down below like he said!_ but he stayed still. Shouts from Fujito and the other men crossed his ears, but he didn't seem to listen one bit. Their pleas were futile; soon enough, Kiku was the only one left on deck without realizing it. Somehow, he remained standing, still holding on with all of his might to the side of his precious ship. Nippon Fishing Fleet, Number 12; the boat his grandfather helped to build, the boat his father sailed on for fourty years... was going down.

One of the largest waves yet, nearly a hundred and fifty feet tall, by Kiku's estimate, came full force toward the ship, and Kiku's vision went to nothing.

* * *

Pain. Pounding, aching, taunting, throbbing pain. What a wonderful first thing to feel upon awakening...

Awakening? He couldn't believe it. Covered in sand, Kiku shot up, bringing even more pain. Still, it appeared that he was alive. His head screamed to lie back down, but somehow he knew that would do no good. He had to figure out where he was, and quickly. Finally opening his eyes, he received somewhat of an answer.

The sea in front of him was calm. Tiny waves floated over the shore, cascading against rocks and brightly colored shells. The sand was a beautiful grain, soft and warm, although it was still dark. Was it still day, or did it hit night already? Unfortunately, Kiku had lost his watch in the storm, so he had no clue. His uniform was dripping wet and covered in salt and seaweed. Fingers and toes caked with dry sand, it was quite difficult to move, accompanied with the resonating pain all over his body. Waiting for some relief, Kiku simply sat and watched the water for what seemed like hours. _I must be near China_, he thought to himself as a small crab scuttled by. Was it the mainland, or an island? He couldn't be sure at all until he had himself a look around. Pausing for a bit longer, he heaved himself up- but his soaking clothes weighed him down. Shrugging, he removed his shirt to squeeze it out. No one else was around, so he had no qualms about being naked... again, with a shrug, he took his pants off and squeezed them out. Deciding that they were enough, he advanced forward in only undergarments to explore the surroundings.

It was, undoubtedly, a beach. A small forest sat behind him, with a rocky cave to his back left. There weren't many animals, though he could hear birds and crickets singing in the trees and shrubs. Much more peaceful than the sounds of the previous storm that landed him here, he remarked. For now, he wouldn't bother walking around much, as he was quite exhausted and felt a bit murky. Before sleep, he felt it necessary to wash off his hands and feet, ridding them of dry sand. As he did so, something bright caught his eye, somewhere near the cave. It was glimmering, a light red, as brilliant as the circle dotting the _Hinomaru_. To Kiku's eye, it appeared to be moving. But how? The wind was barely blowing at this point... somehow, the image was intriguing, and despite his better judgement, the man advanced toward it.

Closer and closer he got, the image appeared more vivid. The crimson sparkles began to light the way, almost as if it was calling to him. His feet moved with no regard along the sand, dirtying again, and a mere ten feet away from the mysterious object, he saw...

Long, brown hair. Bright amber eyes, blinking wildly. A perfectly tanned body. The source of the beautiful red shimmer- a long tail.

The majestic creature, perched on a rock, seemed to stare right into Kiku's soul.

* * *

_Hinomaru_ is the name for Japan's flag; it's white with a red circle in the middle.

I actually made up the name of Kiku's ship myself, lol.

Aaaand that's the end of the first chapter! The next one will be up soon, with the rest to follow until I finish the story I intend on telling. Thank you for reading! :)


	2. Meeting the Merman

I realize I update quickly, but I just can't help it! I usually write chapters in advance, and to be honest... I wrote this one before I even posted the first chapter. Also, I have chapter three written and more than likely have chapters four and five planned. I'm a fast worker, really.

At any rate, enjoy this chapter! It's shorter than the last one, but you still learn a lot about the story.

* * *

It was a merman.

Yes, most certainly so. A mermaid would have something covering her chest; yet, this creature was bare, save for the scales starting below its- his- belly button. His long tresses of hair hung over his shoulders, brown and silky and enchanting. He lounged against the rock as if it was the most comfortable thing on the planet, tail flapping nonchalantly a few inches into the water. Bright eyes still stayed locked on Kiku.

Not for the first time that day, Kiku found himself too stunned to move. True, he had seen plenty of fish in his lifetime, but never a mermaid, let alone a merman. It was frightening and beautiful at the same time; so human-like, yet so much resembling a sea creature... where were his gills? What about his reproductive organs? Could they really sing so well?

With a startled gasp, the merman jumped off of the rock and back into the sea. This stirred Kiku out of his daze; he, too, made way to another place. He returned back to his discarded clothing and, knowing now that he knew that he was not alone, put them back on. Then, he sat in the sand and stared at the rock where the merman was previously perched.

Unbeknownst to him, the creature was watching him from under the surface. Intriguing thing it was, really... the first human he'd seen in quite a while. It came from this area, there was no doubt about that. Its eyes told the story, slanted and dark. A sailor, undoubtedly, shipwrecked like many others that came and died... only legends now, as this particular merman had never seen any of them. Its face was pale and its hair was black, deeply contrasting with each other. What a small body it had! Those "legs" dangling from its hip bones were incredibly short and covered with hair. It looked positively ridiculous. It trembled as if it was freezing. Maybe it wasn't quite used to island breezes yet... but what did the merman care? Humans should be elsewhere, after all. Still, he found himself wondering the whereabouts of the stranger's ship, its fellow crew members, if it had family...

_Foolish_, his conscious said abruptly, _don't bother yourself with the human_. Yet, he did. It was interesting, after all. Quite cute, in its own disturbing way. For some reason, he wanted to sing at this moment, lure the creature over to the water, touch its legs covered with flesh and hair...

_Again with the foolish thoughts! _his conscious butted in again. _Quit that, Yao_. The merman called Yao shook his head; what harm could be done? It took much power for a merperson to turn into a human, after all... and if he did end up becoming one, what would he have to lose? _A LOT!_ spat back his conscious. _Shut up_, Yao retorted, and lifted his head out of the water, opening his mouth to begin a melody.

Closing his eyes, Kiku started to fall into slumber... until he heard it. That song. It was familiar... from a movie, perhaps? A television show? A famous record? Whatever it was, his body decided to move toward it, much like the red shimmer of the merman's tail lured him to the rock. It was beautiful, one of the most perfect songs he'd ever heard. Light, yet strong, and high, winding melodies graced his sea-worn ears. A tingle flashed down his spine gently, and before he knew it, he was face-to-face with the familiarity of the merman again.

"Hi," he said, grinning. "I'm Yao. Male or female?"

Kiku couldn't believe it. It spoke... in almost the same tone of the song. So, it was true; merpeople could sing, and incredibly well. Not only did he look beautiful, but he sounded it. Stunned, Kiku cracked his mouth open and spoke for the first time since he'd landed on the island.

"K-Kiku," he croaked, "male."

Yao's grin widened as he offered a slimy hand to the other. Hesitantly, Kiku took it. Daring, but worth it; the human was very warm and soft. "A pleasure, Kiku."

* * *

Well, there you have it. Yao's a merman. He seems kind of sly as well, doesn't he?

Until next time!


	3. A Shared Meal

Good day to you all! Here's the next chapter. I try to keep these notes short so as not to bore you... anyway. Go on and read.

* * *

"So," the merman called Yao interjected, "I suppose you want to know how to get food here, since the water's so shallow, and I'm sure that as a fisherman you're used to working in deeper water, _and_ you must be exhausted..."

Listening to him carry on, Kiku realized that the stranger was attempting to hold a conversation with him. Oh, right, that means he should probably reply. The low rumble in his stomach told him that it was indeed a good time for food.

"Oh, y-yes... food would be nice, if you can help-"

"Sure!" With a flash, Yao swam below the surface and out of sight. The glimmer of his tail, brilliant red with slight gold undertones, faded against the dark water. Kiku had to blink several times to believe it. Where had he gone? What if he didn't come back, and Kiku had to starve? Sighing, he hauled himself back over to where he had landed and plopped down onto the wet sand.

About twenty minutes later, Kiku was jolted awake by another song; this time, it was lower, and sounded slightly more beckoning. In fact, it was Yao singing _come here _over and over, holding two fish in his hands. One was a salmon, Kiku's absolute favorite. Biting hunger overtook him and he ran for his prize.

"Here's dinner, human," Yao said, offering both to the other so he could have his option. Kiku grabbed the salmon with haste while Yao kept the tuna. To Kiku's delight, a small pile of sticks was already gathered about thirty feet away from the coast, so he rushed over to it and began a small fire, thanks to his years of survival training.

Yao's eyebrow quirked up at this. "Um... human, what is that?" he asked, pointing at the fire.

"Fire," Kiku said, as if the answer were obvious. "Also, my name is Kiku. Haven't you seen a fire before?"

"Yes, of course," Yao replied, crossing his arms over his wet chest. "But it's not even that cold out here, so why do you need it?"

Kiku cocked his head to the side at this. "To cook the fish."

"COOK the fish?" Yao seemed as surprised as Kiku. "Why? Don't you just eat it raw?"

"I don't have sushi ingredients here, so yes, I have to cook it!"

"... WHAT ingredients?"

Kiku scoffed a little at Yao's ignorance, but otherwise played it off. He was, after all, a merman, and must not spend much time around humans. He cooked his fish in silence, then joined Yao by the shore in eating.

"Okay, so... those things," Yao said, gesturing to Kiku's legs. "Hurt?"

"Huh?" asked Kiku. His legs felt fine; a bit fatigued, yes, but otherwise, they were in good shape.

"That thing humans do... 'walking.' Does it hurt? Like, smacking your feet against surfaces all day?"

Kiku narrowed his eyes. "No... that is sort of an odd question. Why do you ask?"

"Curious," Yao said with a shrug. "It seems easier just to swim everywhere you go."

"Well, I can swim as well. Granted, not as well as you, but... eh." Kiku picked out an eyeball and rolled it around in his hand.

"You gonna eat that?" the merman asked. Oh, so he was like that... not too fond of eyeballs, Kiku shook his head and handed it to Yao, who popped it into his mouth and chomped on it immediately.

"Alright," Kiku interjected, thinking briefly, "now I have a question for you." Another pause. "How... how do you mate?"

Yao didn't hesitate a bit. "I just lift up a few scales and my junk's right there. Do you wanna see?"

"No, thank you," Kiku replied straight away, paling a bit and making Yao chuckle.

"Fair enough. Maybe I'll show you someday." With another laugh, the creature picked one of the tuna's eyeballs out and tossed it straight into the air, catching it in his mouth.

_Strange creature, he is_, Kiku pondered,_ but still... somehow majestic. How can he be both at the same time_?

Apparently, Yao had caught him staring, so he threw him a little wink. Kiku's cheeks went pink, and he began to understand why the merman was two different things at once.

* * *

I'll... explain more about Yao's reproductive organs later.

Bye!


	4. Take a Swim

Wow, these just keep getting shorter and shorter. I need to work on that. Oh well. Here's the new chapter!

* * *

After they had eaten, Kiku had decided that he was far too exhausted to keep a conversation with the merman. "Fine, have your rest, boring human," Yao said, and without another word he was back in the ocean, far away from shore. Shrugging, Kiku returned to his landing spot, curled up under his now dry shirt, and fell asleep.

By the time he woke up, the sun was beaming down on him and he heard the voice again. Of course, it belonged to no other but Yao, calling him back to him. _How convenient_, Kiku thought sarcastically, _although I am far away from home and the ship, I still have an alarm clock. _Still, he made his way over to his new acquaintance.

"How about a swim today, bipedal flesh monster?" the merman asked, flicking his tail carelessly against the waves.

"A swim? But... I doubt that I can keep up with you, with your ability to breathe underwater, and that tail..." Correct as Kiku was, Yao let out a laugh, giving his companion a hearty slap on the shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll go easy on you... for now, at least. So, are you up to it, little human?"

"It's Kiku," the 'human' said immediately, frowning at the disrespect offered to him. "Well... fine. Just promise I won't get hurt."

At this, Yao grinned. "Great! Don't worry; just stay close, and you'll be perfectly fine. In fact, keep a hold on my hand so you can keep up." With no hesitation, Yao held out his hand for Kiku to take. Before he could set it down all the way, despite scepticism, the two were off.

Somehow, Kiku moved easily through the water with barely any kicking or stroking of his arms. It seemed like Yao was doing all of the work; he had no gills, yet Kiku's face was submerged and he could see everything under the sea. Thousands of fish, crabs, saltwater plants, and other beautiful creatures swam about. It was miraculous. If he could have lifted his head, Kiku would have told Yao so, but they were going so fast that he remained submerged.

After what seemed like a very, very long time underwater, they stopped, settling on a place far away from shore, and somehow, Kiku barely needed to breathe.

"Nice view, huh?" Yao asked. "Oh, and if you're wondering, we were going so fast that you barely had to do a thing. Pretty cool, if you ask me. You're the only human I've ever done this for."

"Oh," Kiku muttered, looking around, still holding Yao's hand as he floated. "It is rather nice... say, how far are we away from the beach?"

"I'd say about a hundred kilometers."

Kiku's face paled. "B-b-but-"

"Don't worry," the merman interrupted, "I'll get you back just fine. Keep looking around. I bet you never took time to see the real beauty of the ocean when you were on a boat."

He was correct; though he had spent nearly all of his life by water, Kiku was still amazed at the sights. The water was so clear, and warm, and plain beautiful... he felt small fish swim past his toes and heard birds sing from a distance. Yao remained silent from then on, still holding Kiku's hand as if he'd slip away if he let go. It was incredibly peaceful. If he weren't afraid that he'd shrivel into nothing, Kiku would stay like this forever, provided that Yao was around to help him get food and swim with him...

"Should we go back now?" Yao asked, taking Kiku out of his trance. A bit crestfallen, he nodded, and they were off again, back to the shore in no time. Dripping wet with no remorse, Kiku removed his clothes to squeeze the water out.

"That... was very nice," he said softly, his eyes drifting to Yao. "Thank you. I would like to do it again."

Yao's smile brightened his whole face. "Good. We will; just let me know, alright?" Turning around, he began to set off, but something seemed to pop into his head: "Oh, I'll be back with more food later. Just don't burn the beach down with your little fire, _homo sapien_." He then swam away, leaving Kiku disappointed.

Was he beginning to crave the other's company already?

* * *

Bipedal flesh monster. _Homo sapien_. Yao, you kill me.

At any rate... yeah, not much to say. I don't plan on dragging this story out for more than ten chapters or so, so we're almost halfway done. Enjoy the rest of the ride! :)


	5. Stranger in the Water

Hi. New chapter today! I've been working really fast to get this all out, because I just have a ton of ideas and I really need to get them down before they leave me. So, here's chapter five! Enjoy!

* * *

Kiku had seen at least ten sunsets already since he'd landed on the island and met Yao. It wasn't home, and he felt rather upset at the prospect of never returning back to Japan, but he wasn't lonely or starving. He'd go for swims with Yao and eat fish and drink water from a small freshwater stream in the forest about a half a mile back. His clothes had become very dirty and smelly, but Yao would assist in washing them; it was minimal, but enough to get by. On about the fifth day, Kiku caught a strange bird and, despite not knowing if it was endangered or not, killed and ate it, using the feathers to begin a collection for a small pillow. It wasn't comfortable, but he made do. The sand was just soft enough to be called an acceptable sleeping surface, as long as he had his shirt draped over his small, worn body.

All in all, it wasn't terrible. If he were alone, he probably would have gone mad already, but the company of Yao made things bearable. The beautiful merman had a pure and angelic voice, no matter if he was speaking or singing or even laughing. Eventually, Kiku was permitted to touch Yao's tail; it felt just like a fish, yet slightly more magical. He even played with his har a bit, which was soft and damp constantly. Yao loved feeling Kiku's fingers lace delicately through his locks, and Kiku loved to do it. After the ten days, it seemed as if they had become friends despite all odds, a fact that Kiku was very glad for.

On the eleventh day, during a swim, Kiku spotted a flash of green below the water. "Yao, I see something very bright..." he said to his companion, pointing at the object. "What is it?"

Yao squinted at it, then nodded, immediately recognizing it. "Another merperson. Can't tell if it's a maid or a man-"

As if to answer his query, a young girl flipped out of the water, her dark hair trailing all the way down her back. Her tail shimmered emerald with light turquoise undertones, and her eyes flashed black directly at Kiku. She was topless, but undeniably a woman.

"Ah, hello..." she crooned, swimming closer. "My name is Lin. How nice to see you around here, human..." Moving even closer, she set a delicate hand upon Kiku's shoulder, causing him to flinch. Her nails were very, very long, and painted the same color of her tail. He swore that she could scratch him easily with one swipe.

Moving back a bit, Yao seemed amused, a smile gracing his face. How cheeky of him, Kiku thought, blushing at the unwanted contact from the stranger.

"Don't be shy," Lin said, leaning in by his face, breathing softly. "What do they call you, cutie?"

"K-Kiku," he managed to stutter, "m-my name is Kiku."

She grinned, tapping her nails against his dripping skin. "A foreigner as well as a human... well, it's a real pleasure." Her words were terribly slow, seeming to drip from her lips like wax. Another hand found itself on Kiku's shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yao's smile slowly turn into a frown.

"Did you come out here to play, Kiku? I know lots of games..." Out of nowhere, her slender hands draped down Kiku's chest. Apparently, Yao had had enough, as Lin was mere centimeters from the Japanese man's face-

"Hey, poacher!" the merman shouted, holding a small compact mirror above his head. "Loooook... shiny! Now, go get it and leave my human alone!" He tossed the mirror, which Lin dove right after, much to Kiku's relief.

"Thank-"

"No time for that," Yao said, grabbing Kiku roughly around the waist. "We're going back to shore." So they did, faster than before, giving Kiku no time to protest.

_Leave my human alone!_

Why did Yao say that? Did Kiku look like a possession? He hoped not... regardless, he was glad to be rid of the strange mermaid who was seemingly trying to seduce him.

As soon as they reached shore, Kiku dove into his questions.

"What was that all about? Did you know her? Where'd you get the mirror? And, most importantly... why did you call me _your_ human?"

Yao was silent for quite a few minutes. His face left nothing until the very last second; it turned into a grimace, and he muttered a quick "leave it be," swimming away immediately to leave Kiku alone and stunned on the beach.

* * *

Golly, what's going on now? Why so mysterious, Yao?

Find out next chapter... ellipsis dot dot dot... yeah. Bye!


	6. Surprise

I bet you all got used to me updating every day, didn't you? Well, sorry about that; I was out with friends last night. Oh well, you can only please so many people at once. I hope that this chapter was worth the extra day's wait, at least. Hahaha.

* * *

Three days went by, and Kiku hadn't seen Yao again since the incident with the strange mermaid. Every morning, he'd wake up to a fish sitting on the beach just for him, but otherwise his companion was not present. It was very lonely, Kiku thought. Previously, he enjoyed the company of Yao, strange yet charming, mysterious yet handsome...

_Handsome_. His cheeks lit up at that word. Did he really think that of the other? Sure, he was good-looking, and not just because he was a creature from the sea; surely, by anyone's standards, if they had eyes, Yao would be a treasure to humans and sea dwellers alike. But was this infatuation?

_Stupid!_ Kiku screamed at himself. _You are to follow in your father's footsteps, you dunce!_

Twitching, he bit back a response. _I may very well never see my father again, you know_.

A pause.

_Whatever._

At this, Kiku had to smile victoriously. So, was it infatuation? Perhaps more? Who knew. All Kiku cared about was seeing Yao again, because he had some questions to answer.

On the fourth morning, he heard the voice. Not thinking twice, he heaved himself up and rushed to shore, words already flowing out of his mouth.

"-the nerve you had to leave me like that, only bringing food! Do you know how lonely I was, you jerk? I had a lot of time to think, and you'd better start talking soon, or I'm going to- can you hear me, or are your ears full of water? Look at me, dammit! And don't forget, my name is Kiku, not human or whatever cute little nickname you come up with for me, alright, Yao? Now-"

"SHUT IT!" Yao shouted, throwing a halting hand against Kiku's face, effectively covering his mouth. "Good boy," he said, calming down enough to lower his hand. "Now, Kiku..."

"Finally, you call me by my name!" Kiku huffed, balling his hands into fists. "Tell me what's going on, you jerk!"

"Don't make me go back to 'human,' alright?" Yao quipped back, his brow twitching. "I'll talk, just... give me a minute." Nodding, Kiku sat in the sand and waited. With his head turned, Yao seemed to be thinking about a million things at once. Kiku wished he could find a gateway into that mind, just once, to see what went on in there.

"Alright, listen. When that mermaid came up to us, and she touched you, I got... mad, okay? So, I had to send her away and bring you back to shore. Then I sort of just... panicked a bit and left for a while. I'm sorry about that." Pausing, he then muttered, "at least I brought you food and didn't let you starve."

Kiku had to grimace at that. "Well, fine. It made you mad, and then you panicked and left. But... why? There was no reason for you to do that. I was terribly lonely, you know... just give me a reason, and I'll be satisfied."

Kiku waited again as Yao thought. This time, neither of them spoke. Like the first day they met, Yao's eyes seemed to pierce right through Kiku's soul... his arms went up, locked around his neck, and soon, Kiku felt something pressing against his mouth.

His eyes were closed, but it was unmistakable; Yao was kissing him. Not short to react, Kiku pressed back, moving his hands up to the area where Yao's tail met his skin. Only five seconds later, Yao reeled back, his face red for the first time since Kiku had seen it, and he was gone with a flash.

Despite his best efforts, Kiku got no sleep that night. Some terrible emotion bit at him until he felt raw and numb, and he cried for an unknown amount of time.

* * *

-collective gasp from the readers-

Oh, my. Well... see you next chapter!


	7. Yao's Return

Hello! So... this chapter's pretty long. Also, **a bit of a warning: inter-species sex**. If you don't like it, don't read. If you've been reading since chapter one and don't like it... sorry! Wait until tomorrow and I'll have the next one up. :(

Otherwise, read on!

* * *

This time, a week went by. Food was still brought, but Kiku saw no other sign of Yao after... the kiss. He could still feel the other's lips on top of his, cold yet sweet. Touching them ever so often, he'd wish that he could feel it again, but for real. Sleep came rarely, and when it did, Yao occupied the man's dreams, swimming gracefully, his hair flowing just as the water beneath him did. In one dream, he had even turned human, and they lived in Japan together, happy and as far away from water as they could get...

_No need to lament_, he thought. _Maybe he'll never come back, and I won't have to worry about it any more_. The thought of this almost brought tears to his eyes again; how in the world did he become so attached to this strange being? It made little sense at all. Probably just the delusion of being away from human contact, or maybe he had hit his head on the deck of the boat too hard during the storm... whatever it was, he wanted it to go away, badly.

Still, nearly every thought of Kiku's was Yao-related. Rarely did his father, or the other crew members of his ship, or anyone else cross his mind; he drew figures of mermen in the sand, hummed the familiar song that he'd heard the first time he saw the other, and even went for swims, looking for any sign of a brilliant red tail. He found nothing.

Tried as he might, the other didn't want to leave his mind, haunting him like a ghost. That word... it made him shiver. What if Yao was dead? He couldn't think that way; drawing his fifth detailed merman with a tired finger, he pushed anything negative away and thought of the best dream he'd ever had. Yao wearing human clothing, standing alongside Kiku, smiling brightly. They held hands, just like in the water, and eventually leaned in to kiss. A flash later, they were in bed together, both nude. Kiku on bottom, Yao seizing him like a sweet prisoner accompanied with pleased cries and moans.

Sex.

The fantasy broke Kiku into a sweat, and he soon realized why... not only because of the images, but now, for the first time in nearly a month for an unexplainable reason, he was nearly fully erect.

Drat.

"Might as well," he muttered to himself, carefully slipping a hand into his pants. As if just in time, his eyes caught a splash several meters into the water before him.

A flash of brown, then peach, then red leapt out, coming closer.

Kiku shrieked. It was none other than who he'd been waiting for.

"Yao!"

Breathing heavily, the merman rested against the shore, hands clutching his chest. As he powered forward, Kiku noticed something different- an array of shells, weaved into Yao's long tresses. It nearly sent Kiku over the edge... but no, he had to stay composed. This being that he somehow cared for so deeply had just up and left, and now he was back. For what? Now was his time to find out.

"WHAT THE HELL?" he shouted, getting into Yao's face (something he normally would never do). "This time you leave for even longer, and-and... right after KISSING ME, of all things! Again, I was lonely and upset and I even cried, for kami's sake, and I had dreams that I can't explain... j-just tell me why!"

Yao's expression was of utmost guilt. It broke Kiku's heart just by glancing at it. "I'm sorry," he said softly, "I... I'm a coward." Hanging his head and grabbing one of Kiku's hands, he continued. "I thought I had made a mistake, but... I was wrong. For some odd reason, I care for you. You're different- much better- than any mermaid or merman I could find out there in that crummy body of water. I hate myself for it, but it's true." His tail drooped sadly, the shimmer in it nearly gone in the night. He lifted his head, sad eyes locking with Kiku's surprised ones, and a single tear rolled out. "Damn, I'm weak."

"No, don't," Kiku reassured, squeezing the hand offered. "I assure you, I shed more than one tear when you left. You're not weak at all." At this, Yao forced a smile. "You're one of the strongest... er, things I've ever met." Yao's smile began to become more authentic. "Just know that, alright?"

He nodded, making the shells in his hair rattle a bit. "Thank you," he whispered, and they just sat for a long, blissful silence.

"Kiku," Yao said, biting his lip a bit after.

"Yes, Yao?" the other replied, blinking at him and squeezing his hand again. No words would come out; Yao was tongue-tied. He opted for a different approach.

Seizing Kiku around the neck again, just like he had a week ago, his lips found the other's and pressed. To his delight, these lips pressed back with eagerness, and he felt those warm hands against his torso. Not wasting a moment, both of their tongues dove into the other's mouth, exploring like hikers in a cave. Hands roamed, bodies pressed, and noises escaped, while both of them felt nirvana take over.

After a bit of that, plus more exploring around the neck and chest areas of both individuals, Yao lifted his head up, staring right at Kiku for what had to have been the hundreth time.

"I've never had sex with a human," he breathed.

"Well, I've never had sex with a merman," Kiku replied.

A spark shone in Yao's eyes. "Wanna make tonight both of our firsts?"

"W-w-what?" the Japanese man stuttered. "B-but, I don't know how-"

"I told you before, just lift a few of my scales and my junk's right there," Yao quipped, running his fingers up and down the sides of Kiku's face. "So..."

"A-ah... I don't..."

Yao wouldn't hear it. To answer his own question, he laid himself down in an area of shallow water, pulling Kiku on top of him, kissing heavily again. It appeared they had no choice now... within minutes, Kiku's clothes were off to the side as Yao explored his anatomy, Kiku doing the same to the merman.

"Just straddle my tail," Yao ordered, "then put... that thing in here." Reaching down, he pulled a small flap of scales over, revealing a hole. "D-don't hit my exterior organ, just get it inside..."

Staring down at what Yao called his cloaca, Kiku went pale. This was happening. It wasn't a dream this time, and although Yao was not human... he may never be. So, unaware of the reprecussions, he entered the opening.

"Ahhh!" said Yao, "j-just like that, Kiku..."

It was slimy, but through his haze, Kiku supposed that could be an advantage. He began to thrust, slowly yet surely, to the beat of his own heart, which was going rather fast as it was. Until Yao said otherwise, he remained at this pace; he heard "faster" at least six times before he actually complied. Muscles contracted around his erection, squeezing and stroking like nothing he'd ever felt previous. Somehow, it was... amazing.

At the peak, Kiku went as fast as he could, Yao encouraging him from below. Both of their hands dug into the sand, and Yao's tail flapped wildly, smacking water all around. Every so often, the merman would submerge his face, blowing many bubbles, before resurfacing and moaning his pleas as loud as he could. They kept going, and going, and going, until...

Kiku's orgasm traveled from the roots of his hair to Yao's entrance, releasing a yelp. Yao, however, seemed confused.

"D-d-don't you things... ejaculate, or something?"

"Yes, just keep going," Yao pushed, clearly wanting more.

"But-"

"Keep going!" So, he did. Apparently, a merperson's libido was much different from a human's.

Eventually, a sing-song screech fell out of Yao's mouth, indicating that he was finally through. Kiku pulled out and landed roughly onto the side closest to shore, heaving breaths as best as he could.

Both remained speechless, trying to conserve energy. Not caring that he was still naked, Kiku felt his eyes begin to close...

"Have to go," he heard Yao say, feeling another kiss against his mouth and warm cloth draping over him as he was lifted; the other was moving him away from the water so he could dry off. "Thank you."

Like a ruby flash, the beautiful merman dove back into the sea, and Kiku achieved slumber.

* * *

Okay... there it is. Hoorah. I'll change the rating to M for this chapter, since... you know. Yeah.

Byeee!


	8. Changing Forms

I am back! Last chapter was very interesting. This one is as well... so, enjoy!

* * *

"KIKU, GET YOUR ASS UP AND OVER HERE!"

What a unique thing to wake up to. Unlike the mornings previous, Kiku heard those words drift through his subconscious before sitting up. He saw Yao holding onto a rock near shore... but something was different. The glimmer of his ruby red tail was missing. In fact, it appeared that the end of Yao's body had turned... peach?

Moving closer, the tail looked more and more strange to Kiku's eyes. It began to split apart, and then... grew toes...

"YOU HAVE LEGS, YAO!"

"Wow, no fucking kidding!" Yao said, rolling his eyes. "Now please help me onto shore!"

Rushing over, Kiku pulled Yao up by the arms and into a sitting position. He was dripping wet and wrinkled like a raisin, but Kiku couldn't care less. "W-what happened? You're... you're... human!"

"I realized," the merman-turned-human muttered, rolling his eyes again. "It... it happened last night, after I left. I was just swimming around, then my tail started to disappear. Now I have these stupid useless legs and external reproductive organs!" He gestured down below his torso, indicating the objects he was talking about. "I can't even walk!"

Kiku blinked a few times; couldn't walk? How was that? "But... Ariel could walk after she was turned human..."

"Who the hell is Ariel?"

"N-never mind," Kiku said, shaking his head. "Well... so... y-you're human now. This isn't reversible, is it?" Yao shook his head gravely. "Ah."

"Yep. Human forever more. Just great." Slumping forward, Yao sighed, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Kiku had barely noticed before that the other was completely naked, save for the shells still in hair. Not knowing what else to do, Kiku ran a hand up and down Yao's back gently.

"Well... I-I mean, look at the bright side. At least if someone comes and sees me here, I can take you with me."

Astonished, Yao lifted his head, eyes wide. "What? Really?"

A smile graced the Japanese man's lips. "Yes. I can't leave you here if you can't walk. You'd die in just a few days. So, come to the human world with me... please?"

At this, Yao had to smile back. "Alright. I will. Besides, I think I've grown a bit attached to you."

"I could say the same," Kiku said, placing a little kiss to the other's cheek. However, Yao wouldn't have it; he moved his face to the side, grabbed Kiku's, and pressed his mouth against the other. Caring not that the man kissing him was nude, Kiku pulled Yao into his lap for better access. As they did before, their hands wandered and tongues explored. It was quite perfect.

After some more kissing, a few meals, and more kissing even yet, the night came, and Yao spent his first sleep on shore with Kiku. They laid huddled together, both covered by Kiku's shirt, arms wrapped around each other.

"I'm not used to sleeping on dry sand," Yao remarked.

"Neither was I, until I got here," Kiku replied with a small chuckle as he played with a stray piece of Yao's hair. "I can't wait to sleep in a bed again. This beach does no good to my back."

"I can only imagine." A pause. "Kiku... what's the human world like? Is it scary?"

Kiku seemed to run this through his head. "A bit, at times. Don't worry, though. I will be around to take care of you, as long as I can."

"But how will I get around, if I can't walk?"

"They have things called wheelchairs. You sit in it and I just wheel you around. Very convenient."

"Ah." Another pause on Yao's end. "But... you told me about your family legacy of being fishermen... are you still going to live up to that?"

"Kami, no," Kiku spat out immediately. "I'm terrified of boats now. If I can help it, I'll never set foot on one again. Besides, I'll be busy taking care of you. My father can deal with it."

"How?"

Kiku let out a boisterous chuckle. "I have a fourteen year-old brother."

* * *

Weeeeeeeell... there you have it. He turned into a human. Hoorah. Stick around, because the next two chapters are the last!


	9. Return to Land

Yikes! It's been a while since my last update... but I'm back! This is the second to last chapter of _Maritime Melody_. I promise that the last one will be posted tomorrow, if not the next day! Please enjoy!

In the meantime, as I've heard about mass deletion of stories on this site... I now have an Archive of Our Own account! My username is **pluiedunord**, just like on here, so keep that in mind just in case! :)

* * *

Three days had passed, and the two men never left each other's sight, except when Kiku went to get food. Since Yao could no longer swim, it was the other's job to go out in the water as far as he could to catch fish. His catches weren't nearly as good as Yao's, but it was enough to get by. They ate together, talked together, told stories of their lives, and slept wrapped in each other's embrace. Kiku was very hopeful of a close rescue, but Yao's prospects were not as high. He had lived his whole life in the water; even if someone did come, what if Kiku decided that he was just another heavy load to take back home and left him there? Surely, he'd starve within a few weeks. Maybe that was his fate.

On the fourth day... an unexpected visitor showed up, just kilometers away from shore.

"Y-Yao... it's a boat!" And it was. A large cruise liner, sailing carelessly. Kiku heaved Yao up into his arms and ran toward the water, waving his arms spastically to flag it down. After a few minutes, the ship stopped. "It stopped... let's go out there, Yao! I can't believe this... we're getting rescued! Praise kami!"

Carrying Yao on his back like a sachel, Kiku swam to the boat. Passengers watched in awe, chattering wildly about the two men in the water. Soon, the captain appeared.

"Do you speak Japanese?" he asked. How lucky, Kiku thought, a Japanese cruise. I can communicate with them.

"Yes," he replied. "Please, can you help? We have been stranded for a month now."

"Of course," said the captain, moustached and gray-haired. A life boat began to lower slowly, and Kiku clambered into it, heaving Yao with him.

"Kiku... is this actually happening?" Yao asked, a bit of hurt in his tone. "A-are you... taking me with you? Not leaving me behind?"

Once they were settled into the life boat, Kiku had his arms around Yao protectively. "Of course not," he reassured, petting the other's hair. "I told you, you're coming with me. I have a feeling that this ship will take us back to Japan, where I will find my family and tell them all about what happened. We'll find a place for you there, no matter what it takes."

Yao's eyes began to fill with tears. "G-good... I was just afraid that... ah." His head dropped down to Kiku's shoulder with a whimper. "Thank you."

Smiling, Kiku pressed a kiss to the top of Yao's head. "You're welcome."

* * *

The pair spent the next few days on the ship, despite Kiku's fears. Clothes were fetched for Yao, and they were practically treated like royalty, having all the perks of first-class riders without having to pay. Yao was sad to go once they had docked in Japan, but Kiku was immensely glad. He had wrote to his parents, telling them of what happened, and hoped that they'd be there to greet him.

Indeed they were; a compact man with circular spectacles, his tiny wife with a bun holding her hair up, and a teenager that looked almost exactly like Kiku with a different hair cut. They stood, waiting in front, for their son and brother who was bringing a man they'd never met before.

Satoshi, Kiku's fourteen year-old brother, pointed and waved wildly upon seeing him. Kiku waved back with one hand, the other supporting Yao in his arms, and he ran to give the boy a hug.

"_Aniki!_" Satoshi said, "It's so good to see you! I thought you died... who's that?"

"Satoshi," Kiku replied, laughing a bit, "I'm fine, don't worry... oh, this is Yao. I found him on the island that I landed on." Yao gave a sheepish wave to the boy, who was just a few inches shorter than Kiku.

"Son," Kiku's father said in a grunt. "Come here." Blinking, still holding Yao, Kiku made his way toward the man.

"Y-yes... _chichi?_"

The middle-aged Japanese man narrowed his eyes. "What do you plan on doing with that?" he asked, pointing to Yao.

"This is Yao,_ chichi_," Kiku replied quickly. Yao wished that he knew Japanese at this point. "I intend on keeping him with me."

"What about your job?" his father asked. "You need to sign up for another boat right away."

Kiku paused, weighing his options... but ultimately, he shook his head. "I can't. After seeing what I've seen... I'll never go on another boat again."

"But you have a duty-"

"Satoshi can handle it," Kiku interrupted, looking toward his brother. "Can't you, Satoshi?"

The boy nodded furiously. "I can, _chichi!_ I'll be an excellent fisher when I grow up!"

Smiling, Kiku turned to his mother, leaving his father dumbfounded. "Hello, _haha_. I missed you." The woman's arms flew around her son and the man in his arms, tears falling like rain.

"Oh, Kiku..." she repeated over and over again, kissing both he and Yao, despite not knowing the former merman one bit. After a while, she pulled away, bright-eyed, and muttered into her son's ear, "he's very handsome."

A nervous laugh escaped Kiku's lips, accompanied by boisterous chuckles from his mother and Satoshi, who had overheard. Soon, they were all in the car headed for home, Kiku's father silent the whole way, while Kiku's mother and brother chattered on, asking a million questions.

During a silence, Yao leaned over and whispered into Kiku's ear, "You know, you'll have to teach me Japanese sooner or later."

"I will," Kiku nodded, putting his arm around Yao's shoulders and giving his cheek a quick peck. Yao smiled at this, leaned his head onto the man's shoulder, and fell asleep for the rest of the car ride.

* * *

Due to my own laziness, I didn't bother to italicize all of Kiku's dialogue with his family and the boat captain, but I assure you, they are speaking to each other in Japanese.

Well, that's it for chapter nine! Last chapter is coming very soon!


	10. New Life

Well, here's the last chapter to _Maritime Melody! _I won't be leaving any notes at the end, so I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who's read this story, added it to their favorites/alerts, left reviews, etc. I've had a great time writing it, and I hope you've all had a great time reading it. :)

* * *

Thankfully, Kiku's father had learned to forgive and forget (or so it seemed), and had dropped his grudge against Kiku not wanting to go right back into the fishing business. Soon, he had begun to teach Satoshi the ropes, and the teenager was all too excited to learn.

Kiku's mother forked over as much money from her savings as she could so that the pair could rent a small apartment. For this, they were very grateful, something they expressed with many hugs and kisses. Yao now got around by wheelchair, Kiku always pushing. It was a great deal for both of them.

The only downside was that Kiku was now unemployed. So, he had to go find a job, and quickly. Rent was steep, and Yao couldn't work, so all of their income relied on the Japanese man. As Yao stayed at home and studied Japanese, Kiku went job-hunting.

One day, he came back with wonderful news.

"Yao!" he sang as he burst into their apartment. "I found it! The perfect job!"

Lifting his head from his book, Yao smiled. "Oh? What's that, Kiku?"

"An elderly woman is selling her bookstore, and I have just enough money to get it! It's just a few blocks away, so I can walk or ride my bike if I feel like it, and it's so cute and friendly and I just love it! Like I said, perfect! If you want, you can even wheel down there a few times a week to visit, or go sit with my mother while I tend shop, and-"

"Breathe, Kiku," Yao said, laughing and grabbing for one of Kiku's hands. "It sounds wonderful. I'd love to go see it."

"Oh, you should... do you want to go now?"

Yao shook his head. "No... not now. Just come here, Kiku." He patted his leg, indicating that Kiku should sit in his lap. The man complied, and soon they were holding each other as tenderly as they could.

"I'm so happy for you," Yao said, squeezing Kiku's middle. "This will be great. Sometimes I can't even believe I'm here with you. Waking up with you at my side is surreal. Even if I can't walk... I feel blessed."

Kiku grinned. "I'm so glad, Yao. I feel the same way. It's funny how such an odd chain of events led us to this... but I wouldn't have it any other way, you know?"

"I know," the other replied, kissing the man in his lap over his heart. "Kiku?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

If the kiss weren't enough, this would do it; Kiku's heart nearly leapt out of his chest. Yao had never said that to him before... it sounded so sweet, so right, so perfect. He thought he could cry. Never had the man felt so adored or where he belonged.

"I love you too."

Leaning down for a real kiss, Kiku's head spun with joyous thoughts of he and Yao's future together. Yao, who only a bit ago was a sea creature, beautiful and mysterious. Yao, who was now Kiku's love, thriving in the human world at his side, creating sweet melodies wherever his path crossed.

_fin_


End file.
